Converting Woodchips Into Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Date:October 24, 2019

Country: United States

Application

• This project offers a sustainable method to produce pharmaceutical compounds, such as benzazepines, from lignin, reducing waste in drug manufacturing. The resulting lignin-based compounds also show potential for antibacterial and anticancer applications.

Description

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have created a method to transform renewable woodchips, particularly lignin, into valuable pharmaceutical compounds. They harness lignin’s natural structure to synthesize benzazepine derivatives, including diazepam, using just two to three steps. The process employs catalytic reactions and non-toxic, biodegradable solvents, generating no waste. Some of the resulting lignin-based compounds exhibit promising antibacterial and anticancer properties, providing a more sustainable alternative for drug production.

Pathway Description:

The process begins with extracting monomers from lignin, a component of woodchips. These monomers are then subjected to catalytic reactions, using non-toxic, recyclable solvents to convert them into benzazepine derivatives. This method eliminates hazardous waste and simplifies drug synthesis by achieving the transformation in just two to three steps.